Ian Thorpe comes out on his terms
Coming out is an individual path, regardless of whether you're an Olympic champ or not.
- Published by David Knox
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According to media reports today, Olympian Ian Thorpe reveals to Michael Parkinson that he is gay.
The topic, which contradicts previous statements by the swimming champ, has been heavily promoted by TEN this week. The Parkinson-produced interview was also rescheduled to a 6pm timeslot to avoid clashing with Seven’s X Factor launch.
At a whopping 90 minutes, the special comes from TEN’s News division overseen by Peter Meakin.
Thorpe, who recently signed to TEN for its Commonwealth Games coverage, is likely to have a sympathetic interview from Parkinson -also represented by the same management. But TEN has promised no question is off limits.
For years Thorpe has shunned speculation about his sexuality, and denied suggestions he is gay (I don’t recall anybody ever asking if he was bisexual, maybe it was all in the wording…).
But coming out for any gay man is a deeply individual path.
The timing should always be a personal choice. No doubt being in an international spotlight with hefty commercial contracts at a young age would have been a consideration, for a decision that already weighs heavily on many young men.
Others sport stars such as Matthew Mitcham, Ian Roberts, Tom Daley, Billie Jean King, Greg Louganis, Daniel Kowalski, Bobby Goldsmith and Jason Ball have done much to take a public stand.
At 31, and having dealt with other issues including depression and health, Thorpe has clearly reassessed who he is and what he is prepared to share.
Parkinson has said of the interview, “I think his sexuality is no one’s business but his own. But I think it’s one of the best interviews I have ever done in terms of (Thorpe) talking about depression and things like that.”
Ian Thorpe: The Parkinson Interview airs at 6pm tonight on TEN.
41 Responses
The media are saying $400,000.00
At least he has done it. Probably why he has had such a hard time lately. Everyone comes to the decision to come out differently. Let’s just celebrate that he is comfortable enough to come out.
Just curious how much he got paid for that interview?
Excuse my bad grammar and spelling. There and good it should have said.
Wish there was a word count function as you typed on here, anyway the last bit that was cut-off:
Around 30% of Australian gay teenagers will attempt suicide which is 14 times more likely than their straight peers and on average 60 gay teenagers succeed each year, glad Thorpe wasn’t one of those.
I don’t think he lied I believe he wasn’t ready and it’s unfair to make judgements on him. I’m dirty that it has to be news, oh for the day when coming out is never questioned and used for marketing and the OMG factor like 10 are doing. Only when it’s a non event is their likely to be equality.
On a personal level for Ian, god on him.
Instead of the focus being on Ian Thorpe being deceitful (by a fair bit of other media), how about the focus be on why he felt he had to hide his sexuality so vehemently instead.
This is not a case of say a Lance Armstrong cheating and being deceitful for many years and taking others down with him. This could be either Ian not being sure or afraid to come out because of the stigma by him attached to coming out (whether perceived or otherwise).
Personally I don’t care if Thorpe has known all this time, just happy to see him come to the realisation that it is okay to admit it. You only have to read the article on this site about what Brian Taylor said last night to know why it is still difficult for some, especially in sport.
Around 30% of Australian gay teenagers will attempt suicide which is 14 times more likely than their straight peers and on average 60 gay teenagers…
This can only be a good thing for him. Keeping a secret like that would be so incredibly difficult – I’d assume that would’ve contributed to his difficulties that led him to rehab. Hopefully by admitting it out loud to everyone, he will have a weight lifted and be free to live his life on his own terms, without fear of discovery.
At least he only has to come out once Gay people who are not in the public eye have to choose whether or not to come out every time we meet a new person, start a new job, move to a new town. No wonder some people just keep it to themselves. Good on Ian though.
Am I the only one worried that they will split the coding for the ratings tomorrow? Imagine Ian: The Big Reveal.
Its sad to hear that Ian has had years of this. I am looking forward to hearing his commentary for the Commonwealth Games.
Those asking how a story like this is newsworthy, should consider this… It’s newsworthy not because it’s anyone’s business or because Thorpie refused to talk about it his whole lifetime – but because he wrote a biography and explicitly stated that he wasn’t gay and that all his sexual experiences had been “straight”. He chose to actively lie in a written statement about his own life (as opposed to one for a journalist) and in doing so, made his coming out a “thing”. The issue at hand is not his sexuality (hello, everyone knew), but rather the reason for his long standing deception. Does it matter that he’s gay? Of course not. But I’m far more interested in why (for so long) he not only hid it, but went to great such great lengths to say the compete opposite of the truth. That to me is where the real story here is.
I have mixed feelings about this. I mean, good on him, and I hope that he can move on and live his life now that he’s got that weight off his shoulders. However, it’s none of our business and I wish that it wasn’t such an issue for other people that he has had to pretend otherwise.
I think anyone having a go at him for having denied it for so long is incredibly insensitive and clearly has little idea of the society in which they live.
As for Parkinson, this subject appears to be a minor obsession for him as he has asked a number of other interviewees the same question. I stopped watching him years ago when he kept on asking David Walliams if he was gay and wouldn’t take his deflections as a signal to move on to the next topic.
Good on him. Maybe now he can have the life he truly wants to have; not the one he was expected to have and struggled with. No surprise there, other than how long it took for him to do so. There will be an avalanche of support for him in the LGBTQI world as well as the wider community. Onwards and Upwards, Ian!
It is big news only because of Ian’s direct lies, particularly in his book. Magda Szubanski for example never publicly denied anything.
Poida: Coming to terms with sexuality is up to an individual. Ian may well have been unsure of his identity, or even bisexual at the time. These don’t make it a lie. Let’s hear what he has to say before being so quick to judge.
hell of a good swimmer.
hell of a nice bloke, so I believe.
/end news
Good on Ian for coming out. Speaking as a gay man myself, Ian’s decision was brave and should be commended. Welcome to the family! On the other hand, it really annoys me how Channel Ten exploited his sexuality in a desperate attempt to gain viewers. The hysteria associated only makes it that much more daunting for gay teens to come out themselves.
To deny for years, while he had sponsorships, then cone out when doing PR for the Commonwealth Games just comes across as terribly cynical marketing.
What next? A female admitting she had a miscarriage while doing PR for a show, that has nothing to do with pregnancy.
Thorpe’s sexuality has nothing to do with his accomplishments in the pool, or his commentary out of it. So why make a deal about it now?
Because the Commonwealth Games won’t rate without some spin.
I feel bad that Thorpe has had to be dishonest about who he is. But I don’t think this is a particularly brave decision.
It also sucks that we live in a world where this is big news.
“Parkinson has said … “I think his sexuality is no one’s business but his own”.
Then why ask the question Michael? Do you ask all of you interviewees that question?
The only 5 seconds used in promos by TEN was that question.
Will be watching the Parkinson interview tonight and recording The Voice Kids. Michael Parkinson is still the best interviewer around and I’m sure the coming out of Thorpe will be treated very sensitively.
Regardless of his sexuality, he is still a champion in my eyes. Having broke all those records and won all those medals in Sydney 2000 was just incredible. I was 8 years old at the time, and said thats a hero. He still is a hero for his achievements. Now I hope the media can leave him alone now so he can enjoy the rest of his life.
OMG!!! Spoilers!!! No-one could have guessed after seeing Ten’s promos for the last two weeks … ok, tongue pulled back from cheek now. Here’s to a fabulous life from hereon in, Thorpedo.
If Michael Parkinson thinks Ian Thorpes sexuality is no one else’s business, then why the hell did he ask him about it?
Hang in there Ian. I was 34 when I came out, best thing ever, the pressure valve is instantly released. I wish you all the best.
Some people are uncomfortable about it and never publicly come out while they are alive – eg: Former SA premier Don Dunstan who suffered through two sham marriages. I came out at school in the early 1970s at school and was bullied badly because of it, especially in the gym and PE change room. Matthew Mitcham came out very early – before his first Olympics – and the public embraced him to such an extent that he said he didn’t want to be just known as “the gay athlete”. The ideal situation would be for athletes and sportsmen to be open about their sexuality before speculation gets out of control, but it is still fraught with danger especially where sponsorships and endorsements are concerned.